


Strategic Advantages

by takeabiteoutofthesilversandwich



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Character Development, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko is terrible at hiding emotions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2020-12-28 14:53:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21138506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takeabiteoutofthesilversandwich/pseuds/takeabiteoutofthesilversandwich
Summary: An unfortunate incident with Katara makes Zuko realize, for the first time ever, that there are limits to his loyalty to his father. That there actually are lines he will not cross, even if it could help him capture the Avatar. And Katara knows it too. It leaves them both with conflicting feelings.Set somewhere in book one, before the necklace scene in "The Waterbending Scroll".





	1. Limits

**Author's Note:**

> There is no rape/non con in this story (though one instance is referenced). That's why I didn't apply the archive warning for it. Still, the subject is discussed in detail. If this is triggering material for you, I would not recommend reading this. Chapter 1 describes what happens, other chapters will be about the fallout.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko thought he was willing to do whatever it takes to catch the Avatar. As it turns out, that isn't entirely accurate.

Katara stomped her way through the latest forest they had set up camp in, the unnecessary force put in to the steps relieving some of her anger. Sokka had been absolutely insufferable during dinner. He just _had_ to tell Aang embarrassing stories about this Water Tribe boy she used to have a crush on. "She always 'happened' to walk by the hot springs when he was there, right Katara?" Sokka had grinned with his mouth full. What a stupid, immature ... At least Aang had the decency to look embarrassed instead of laugh. She had promptly gotten up and said "At least I didn't follow him around like a drooling turtleseal puppy asking for a sardine", referring to an older girl Sokka had been basically obsessed with when he was 13. That had set off a shouting match between them. She couldn't really remember what they had been yelling about when she decided she had enough and stalked right in to forest for some time apart.

She suddenly realized it had gotten dark. How long had she been gone? A childish part of her wanted to stay away all night and let Sokka and Aang worry themselves sick. The more mature version of herself decided that would be very irresponsible. She stopped for a moment, leaning on a tree. She wasn't sure she recognized her surroundings. She must have walked pretty far. She searched the sky for stars that could tell her how to get back to their camp. When she found her direction she sighed and started walking back.

She still had a lot more ground to cover when she heard it: a metallic clank followed by soft footsteps. Someone was following her. She turned around and said "Hello?". She froze for a second when a man in Fire Nation armor jumped out from behind a tree and started sprinting towards her. A man with a scar on his face- _Zuko. Shit._ She quickly turned around and started sprinting away.

\-----

Zuko could barely believe his luck. Just an hour earlier he and his crew had docked their ship on a small stretch of beach. They had spotted the sky bison earlier and followed it as far as they could before losing its trail, _again_. He knew the Avatar still had to be close, but Uncle wouldn't stop bothering him. He had insisted that Zuko got some rest. He hadn't felt like listening to one of Uncle's long speeches, so instead of throwing a Royal fit he had pretended to agree that it would be impossible to find the boy and the Water Tribe peasants he travelled with and go to bed. As soon as Uncle was caught up in a game of Pai Sho he had sneaked off the ship to search for the annoying children that kept slipping through his fingers. He didn't actually expect to find them, so when he saw the Water Tribe girl walk past some trees nearby he almost shouted with joy. The Avatar wasn't with her, but maybe he could get the info he needed to find him out of her... Maybe if he followed her she'd lead him straight to their camp.

He followed her from a distance for a little while. The armor he had put on just in case he'd had to fight made it hard to be stealthy. He saw her turn around after he accidentally bumped one of the shoulders in to a tree. _Shit._ That Katara girl was smart. There was no way she'd run towards their camp. He made a split second decision to capture her for questioning and started running towards her. She bolted away from him and he grimaced, annoyed. Like she could possibly outrun him. She let out a panicked scream as he got closer. He tackled her to the ground, grunting as the wind got knocked out of him. He quickly rolled her over, grabbing her wrists and pinning them next to her head as she tried to use a waterbending move. He pinned the rest of her to the ground by straddling her hips. He let the girl catch her breath a little (honestly, he needed a moment too) before bending over her, putting his face threateningly close to hers. 

He had planned to growl "Where is the Avatar, girl?", but something about the expression on her face killed the words before they could reach his mouth. She looked _terrified_. She was completely frozen under him, not even kicking her legs or trying to free her wrists, and her face was turned away from him. There were already tears in her eyes. Zuko frowned. He didn't think he injured her when he tackled her... Katara normally snarled at him, fought him in every way she could. He couldn't remember her ever acting scared and docile. Zuko was aware that he should feel victorious right now, happy that he could probably get her to talk quite easily. But there was something just... _wrong_ about her behaviour. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it made him feel a little sick. _Shrug it off. You need to find the Avatar._

__

"Where is the Avatar, girl?" he growled after all, face maybe two inches from hers. She didn't answer. Instead she squeezed her eyes shut, letting out these scared whimpers. He felt her tremble beneath him. Tightening his grip on her wrists he repeated the question. She didn't seem to hear him. All he got in response was some very panicked breathing. Ok, something was seriously wrong. He growled in annoyance and snapped "Calm down! If you relax and do what I want you won't get hurt". He was absolutely baffled when tears started to run down her face. Still no struggling and no indication that she had actually heard what he had said. "Katara, right? Calm down a little" he tried more gently this time. She was no good to him if she was too scared to talk. Yeah. That's why he felt the need to calm her down. That must be why. It seemed to work a little bit. Her breathing slowed down, but she still wasn't looking at him and she was still trembling. "Are you hurt?" She shook her head a little. "Then what got your tongue?" Zuko asked. 

"For spirits' sake Zuko, use your head" he heard a familiar voice say behind him. Uncle. Damn it, he really thought he hadn't noticed him slipping away. He sounded disappointed. "What would any woman think if she got tackled to the ground like that in the middle of the night by a guy twice her size?" A confused frown made it's way to Zuko's face. What would any woman think? What was uncle getti- Oh. OH. She thought he was going to-

He quickly sat up, putting as much distance between their bodies as he could. He almost let go of her wrists before remembering why he had them pinned down in the first place. He heard her wheeze a little as all of his weight and that of his heavy armor pressed in to her hips and stomach. He quickly shifted a bit to keep some of the weight off of her. "Katara, I know you must think of me as the enemy but I'm not a _sadist_." The words slipped from his mouth unintentionally. His face was burning. 

His uncle's presence and Zuko's reaction to what he was implying seemed to have calmed Katara down a little. She was finally looking at him and she wasn't crying anymore. Zuko was confused by the relieve he felt when Katara's usual defiant angry expression appeared on her face. "How the hell am I supposed to know that" she hissed at him. "All I know about you is that you would do literally anything to get at Aang, including harming innocent people." Zuko didn't know what to say to that. _Calm down! If you relax and do what I want you won't get hurt. _ Oh spirits, could he have possibly phrased that any worse? "I meant tell me where the Avatar is!" he blurted out. Katara looked confused. "When I said, uhm, d-do what I want. I wasn't... I meant telling me what I need to know." Why was he telling her that? He would never _rape_ anyone, enemy or not, but it would definitely be a strategic advantage if she thought he might. 

She seemed to calm down more at his words, eyes studying his blushing face closely. She raised her eyebrows a little at his awkward rambling. Was that a small smile? Shit. He felt like he was quickly losing the upper hand somehow, despite having her pinned under him like this. "Why would you jump to that conclusion immediately anyway, Water Tribe" he demanded angrily, trying to get some control back by flipping the situation. "There have been other Fire Nation soldiers who tried. You are all animals" she replied through gritted teeth, nostrils flaring with rage. That was so far from any of the answers Zuko had expected that his jaw dropped in surprise. He felt the color drain from his face as he gaped at her. "... What? Soldiers? Plural?" Katara looked a little shocked by the change in his expression. "Yeah... I kicked their asses every time. _They_ didn't sneak up on me and pin my wrists like this like a bunch of cowards". 

He should be threatening her. He should be making her feel like he'd make all her nightmares come true if she didn't give him the information he needed. Your enemies are not supposed to know that you wouldn't hurt them. He opened his mouth to say "Keep that smart mouth going and I might change my mind" but what actually came out was "Thank the spirits for that". They stared at each other, the silence growing more awkward with the second. "I'm sorry I made you think I was going to hurt you like that" his treacherous mouth said. For some reason it wanted her to know that he _wouldn't_. For some reason he didn't quite understand it was important to him that she knew that. He was glad to see that she was as relaxed now as anyone pinned down like this could be. 

"Thanks... I guess?" Katara said. "Maybe it's time you let go of her, Prince Zuko" Iroh remarked calmly. Zuko growled. "I still need my information. Where's the Avatar, Katara?" Katara just raised her damn eyebrows at him with a cocky smirk and didn't respond. See, this is why she should at least think he might torture her. Fuck. Some more awkward silence passed. "I don't really know where to go from here" Zuko admitted. Katara actually _chuckled_. He felt his uncle's hand on his shoulder. "Let go of her, Zuko". He couldn't. He had to save face at least a little. "No!" he shouted, lowering his face to Katara's again. "Tell me. You think I can't hurt you in other ways?" He saw some fear return to her face. Good. "I'm not telling you, you know that" she said quietly. Damn. He didn't actually want to hurt her, even in a non sexual way, not after all this awkwardness. There was only one way to get out of this without completely destroying his image. 

Zuko intentionally loosened the grip on Katara's wrists just enough for her to pull free. "Shit!" he yelled as he let her grab him by the ponytail and pull, her free hand opening the water satchel she carried. He shot a fire blast at her at the same time she whacked him in the face with the water, knowing it wouldn't reach her. He spluttered as she bended the water around his head and kept it there until the need for air forced him to get off of her completely. The water bubble disappeared and Katara used the water to blast him towards a big rock, freezing his hands to it. She looked at him for a second, opening her mouth like she wanted to say something... and then turned around and dashed away. "I'll get you for this! You just wait for the next time I see you, Water Tribe" he yelled angrily. He didn't melt the ice around his hands until she was out of sight. 

"That was kind of you, Zuko, letting her think she beat you" Iroh said. "I wasn't being _kind_, Uncle. I did it so she wouldn't think I'm too weak to hurt her if I must." He kicked at a rock, swearing up the kind of storm that can only be learned by spending too much time around sailors. "I'm not sure she bought it. I think I might have done some permanent damage to their fear of me" Zuko groaned miserably. "You might not understand this right now, but that is something you should be proud of". His uncle grabbed him by the neck and started pushing him in the general direction of the ship. "Now, you are coming with me and you are going to _sleep_, young man" he said sternly. Zuko was unusually quiet, not even protesting once as he let his uncle lead him back to their ship. 


	2. Priorities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iroh talks to Zuko about what happened the night before.

Iroh knocked on the heavy iron door of his nephew's cabin. He was getting a bit worried about the boy. Normally Zuko was up with sunrise, training and thinking up new plans for catching the Avatar before Iroh had even gotten dressed. It was almost noon now and he still hadn't seen him. Iroh figured he was probably brooding on what happened last night.

Iroh himself found yesterday's incident with the Water Tribe girl quite unsettling, at least. Iroh hated seeing the talented, fierce waterbender that scared, afraid of his nephew's assumed intentions and in no state of mind to fight. Her fear was hard to witness, but even worse was hearing that this _little girl_ had already faced similar threats multiple times. It shouldn't have surprised him so much. It's not like he didn't know that raping captives was a far too common behaviour among Fire Nation soldiers, especially when they were still high on testosteron and power after a battle. 

It pained him to know that some people thought of his adopted son like that and it hurt him even more to know that they had every reason to. Iroh didn't believe for one second that Zuko would harm the girl like that, but it's like she said: how was she supposed to know? Zuko's obsession with "regaining his honor" made him blind to the pain of others. His rash decisions and aggression made him seem cruel, even though many of the consequences were never intended. Most of the time Iroh was convinced that the brave, kind boy that stood up for all those nameless soldiers three years ago was still at the very base of Zuko's personaltiy, hidden underneath all the pain and ruthlessness but there all the same. Zuko had always been a sensitive and kind kid. Iroh had seen it a thousand times before that awful meeting. A good foundation like that is not easily knocked down. But sometimes... sometimes Iroh couldn't help but feel scared for his nephew's soul. He feared that he would eventually _become_ cruel, that the cruelty he was exposed to and sometimes inflicted on others would wake some sort of twisted part of his psyche. Iroh just hoped that he brought enough kindness and acceptance in to Zuko's troubled life to prevent that.

"I'm not hungry, Uncle" Zuko shouted at the door in response to the metallic clanks. Iroh sighed to himself. "Open the door, Prince Zuko" he said with quiet authority. Iroh heard how his nephew unlocked the door, a worried frown crinkling his forehead when Zuko didn't greet him but instead seemed to walk straight back to his bed, judging by the footsteps. He opened the door himself and studied the room as he walked in. It was spotless, as always, but his nephew looked like hell. He was sitting on his bed in nothing but the pants he slept in, pony tail a total mess, and there was a dark shadow under his good eye. Iroh wondered if he had slept at all.

"What is it? I'm just resting, like you always say I should" Zuko said grumpily, resting his elbows on his knees. Iroh raised an eyebrow. "You've clearly been brooding. That's not the same as resting". Zuko shrugged his shoulders and looked away. "It's time we had a talk, my boy". Zuko groaned and put his head in his hands. "I don't need the birds and the bees talk again, Uncle. I'm still scarred from the last time". Iroh chuckled. Troubled and complicated as his nephew may be, little moments like these reassured Iroh that Zuko was also just a normal awkward teenager.

"Not that talk, exactly. A talk about what happened last night". Zuko stared at his knees and plucked at his wrist. Iroh sat down next to Zuko. "What about it?" Zuko said, still not looking at him. "You tell me. You've clearly been thinking about it all night" Iroh said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Zuko finally looked up. "What is troubling you about it the most?". Zuko bit his lip, fidgeting. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times without saying anything. Finally, he sighed and said "I failed again, Uncle". Iroh felt a chill run through him. That's not what he was hoping to hear.

"Failed? What do you mean?". Zuko suddenly stood up and started pacing. "I- ... I let emotions get in the way. I could have gotten all the information I needed from the Water Tribe girl and I didn't. I was weak. I should have used her fear of- " he grimaced, for some reason stumbling over the actual word. "I should have used her fear against her, take her prisoner at least, and instead I let her get away. On purpose." Iroh remained silent. "Father would be furious if he knew I let such an opportunity to get information on the Avatar go to waste. That I showed such weakness in front of an enemy." Iroh's heart ached for the agitated boy in front of him. The worst part of it all was that he was probably right.

"Zuko... basic human decency and kindness are not weaknesses. Are you saying you wish you raped the girl?" Zuko actually flinched at his words. Still a sensitive soul at heart. "No! No, _of course_ not! That's- " he trailed off and shook his head. "But I could have let her think I might! If she didn't do what I want. It's just basic strategy. Use your enemy's fear against them, make them think you could do anything to them." He fell silent, rubbing his face and pulling his hair, tension clearly visible in the muscles of his back. 

"So why didn't you?" Iroh asked. "I- I'm not sure. It's just... She was so scared. She didn't even seem like herself anymore. Letting her think I was going to hurt her like that almost made me feel like I was already doing it." With a frustrated growl Zuko slammed a fist in to the wall. 

Iroh stood up and walked over to the tea table, calmy starting his usual tea ritual. "Your father has put a terrible weight on your shoulders, Zuko" he said while putting on some water. "The task he gave you would be a lot easier if you gave in to whatever 'strategy' you could think of. But sometimes... sometimes the horrible things you could do to complete a goal would take away more of your honour than he could ever give you back, if such a thing were even possible. It is not shameful to decide you will only go so far. It is not shameful to choose your humanity over whatever you would gain from corrupting it." Zuko sighed as he sat down again, accepting the tea his uncle offered him. "Thank you, Uncle" he said quietly, leaving it to Iroh to decide whether it was for the tea or for his reassurance. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I planned to make this a two-parter, but I decided it'll be a four-parter at least.
> 
> #lmao I keep spelling nephew like newphew x). Sorry, English is not my first language


	3. Violence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko is not only an awkward turtleduck but also an obsessive one. He has trouble letting the incident with Katara go.

Zuko was uncharacteristically quiet the following two days. So much so that Iroh was not the only one who noticed. The crew grew curious and a little anxious. They were well acquinted with Zuko's explosiveness and they feared they were caught in the calm before a storm. Lieutenant Jee had asked Iroh if they should be worried about Zuko. Iroh felt like this was none of their business, but he also did not want to leave them completely in the dark. He felt like he had to tell him the very basics of what happened at least.

"Zuko tried to follow the Water Tribe girl to the Avatar's camp two nights ago. She noticed him and fled. He decided to try and capture her and she... misunderstood his intentions. I'm sure you know what I mean. He's quite shaken by it." he had told Jee. 

It was all the crew had been talking about today whenever Zuko was out of earshot, so Iroh wasn't surprised that Zuko captured all of their attention at once when he suddenly said: "Uncle... the Water Tribe girl said 'soldiers'. As in multiple."

Iroh took a deep breath before sipping his tea. He turned to Zuko and took a good look at him. Zuko was hunched over because he was resting his elbows on the side of the ship. He appeared tired and confused, frowning as he stared in to his own cup of tea.

"She did." Iroh said patiently.

"She said it like I should have expected it. Almost like it's... normal that people have tried to hurt her like that multiple times. It's not, is it?" Zuko asked, suddenly looking up.

Iroh remained silent as he thought about how he should explain this to Zuko. He could basically feel the eyes of the crew burning holes in to their backs.

"Is it?" Zuko pressed, impatient as always. "I mean... Katara is like, what? Fourteen? Maybe fifteen? I know she is pretty and looks a little older if you squint but she's just a girl. How is it possible that she already..."

"Prince Zuko, since your banishment you've spent almost all of your time at sea surrounded by men. You haven't had a lot of opportunities to get to know the world of peasants, let alone the world of women. It is not strange that you do not already know this but... sadly I must admit that Katara is not just unlucky. Many women have experiences like that. Some men do too, though it's less common. Katara said it like it's normal because the threat is always present for her. Women have to spend far too much time taking precautions, especially during a time of war. The violence of war always seems to ignite the worst in violent people."

Zuko looked stunned as he mulled over his uncle's words. He silently took a couple of sips of tea before he spoke up again. 

"But... why? Why would you even want to?"

"Maybe you're a little too young to understand that, prince Zuko." a crew member commented. Iroh and Zuko both turned around. It had been one of the soldiers, Jun Tsou.

"Sometimes men have needs. Sometimes that causes a problem and you seek a solution." Jun Tsou went on. Iroh had never liked him and now he knew why.

Iroh was delighted to see a look of pure disgust flit across Zuko's face before it was replaced by an angry one. "Too young? I'm sixteen, Jun Tsou! I have a 'problem' every time the wind brushes me in a funny way for fucks sake. So what?"

Some crew members giggled at Zuko's comment. Iroh saw the grin on Jun Tsou's face and knew instantly this wasn't going to end well. He put a hand on his nephew's shoulder, hoping to calm him down a little.

"Well if you know the needs you also know why, don't you?" Jun Tsou said. "To take care of the problem."

"What the fuck are you talking about? Forcing yourself on someone is not the only way to 'take care of it!'" Zuko blurted out.

"Really? What else is there?" Jun Tsou asked with an innocent look on his face, eyes far too wide.

Zuko stepped forward and grabbed the soldier's right wrist, waving his own hand in his face. He didn't see his uncle facepalming himself as he yelled: "Hello??? You've got hands, don't you?" He turned to Iroh and said "Uncle, is he seri-"

It was probably the first time Zuko had ever seen Iroh blush. The shock of it seemed to make him realize that he had let Jun Tsou goad him in to shouting "I MASTURBATE" at both his crew and his uncle. A blush crept up his good cheek for a second before his entire expression changed. His face relaxed and a small smile appeared on his face, but his eyes grew ice cold. Iroh saw so much of Azula in that expression that he almost took a few steps back. 

"I suppose it's never as good as the real thing." Zuko said with that special family brand of faux-friendliness people always fell for.

"Exactly." Jun Tsou said. 

"Have you been speaking from experience, Jun Tsou?" Zuko asked while he turned around. Jun Tsou shrugged his shoulders, still grinning. 

"When? Who was it?"

"Zuko!" Iroh gasped. Was he truly.... was he going to let a simpleton like _Jun Tsou_ of all people corrupt him so easily? 

Zuko just raised his palm and pressed further. "Well?" he prompted, that horrible Azula-like expression still on his face.

Jun Tsao clearly wasn't able to recognize the danger in it. Maybe he simply mistook it for a smile. In any case, he carried on. "It was just some peasant of one of the villages I helped conquer in my younger days. She had surrendered like many of the villagers. I had a 'problem' one night while we were transporting the survivors to a Fire Nation prison and she was pretty."

Iroh felt bile rise in his throat at the casual, almost fond tone Jun Tsao used. He wanted to slap the soul out of this man's body. But the bile, it wasn't just disgust that triggered it. It was also shame, shame for leading Jun Tsao and plenty of other solders and never stopping to think about what they might be doing when he wasn't looking. For a moment he was paralyzed by it. Were the other members of the crew feeling the same way?

"Hmm? Why her? Just because she was pretty?" Zuko asked. He was still wearing that expression, but Iroh caught the twitching of the corners of his mouth. _Oh, I see..._ Maybe he didn't have to fear for his nephew's soul after all... maybe Jun Tsao just unknowingly taught him a new trick.

"Well not just because... I mean many women are pretty." Jun Tsao chuckled. "I'm not quite sure. I guess I liked the feeling that conquering the village gave me. I wanted to experience it again. I figured no one who mattered was going to care anyway, if they found out. It really wasn't as terrible as you seem to think, Prince Zuko. I made it good for her too. She just needed some help discovering she liked it." 

"Jun Tsao, shut your mouth!" a horrified Jee shouted. Iroh tore himself away from Zuko and this lowlife for a second and looked at the crew. He was pleased to see that most of them seemed at least a bit disturbed by Jun Tsao's words. He made sure to commit the few people who were smiling to memory.

"It's alright, Lieutenant." Zuko said. "So you did it because you wanted to feel powerful, is that it? And because you had the opportunity, because you thought no one who matters would care?" Zuko asked calmly, voice silky and soft. Jun Tsao finally seemed to realize something was off. The grin slowly slid off his face as he nodded.

Suddenly Zuko let all the controlled menace slip off his face. His eyebrows knitted closer together, his eyes grew dark and his jaw clenched as he bared his teeth. "You thought wrong."

Jun Tsao blanched as he realized he had been played. He took a few steps back as Zuko assumed a fighting stance. "Hey now, you asked! You wanted to know!" he said nervously.

"Get off my ship. Right. Now." Zuko growled, sparks dancing around his teeth. Iroh felt like he should be stepping in now, tell his nephew to calm down and have some tea. Truth was for once, he didn't want to.

"What? C'mon Prince Zuko, most men have done things like this! You're sixteen, it's time you learn about the real world. I'm just honest about it. Are you going to punish me for my honesty?" Jun Tsao replied hastily. Several crew members mumbled something like "that's not true" but seemed otherwise frozen.

"Off. My. Fucking. Ship!" Zuko shouted, flames roaring from his fists as a warning. Jun Tsao looked over at Iroh like he was asking for his help. He was only met with disgust and anger. He backed up in to the railing. "I see... you were not ready to hear such a thing, my apologies. I will leave the next time we make land." he said, bowing before Zuko.

Zuko let out this horrible, cold bark of a laugh. "I'm not waiting until we stop for supplies. You are leaving right now. Jump overboard."

"What? Prince Zuko, be reasonable! We're so far removed from land, I might drown. Please don't make me!" Jun Tsao cowered.

"'Please don't make me'.... I bet someone said those words to you before. It didn't stop you, now did it? I bet it made you want to hurt her even more, you sadist!" Zuko hissed. "I'm going to count from 10 to 0. If you aren't gone by the time I get to 0 I'll burn you so badly you won't have any choice but jumping in to cold water for some relieve!"

Jun Tsao walked towards his crew mates and made a pleading gesture. None of them spoke. Jee even pointed at the water as Zuko started counting. "10.... 9.... 8....7.... " Zuko shot fire in between the crew and Jun Tsao, forcing him back against the railing. Jun Tsao looked like he felt _betrayed_ by them. What a dick. Zuko kept counting.

"6.... 5...." Jun Tsao swallowed and climbed the railing. He looked Zuko in the eyes as he growled "You'll pay for this, _Your Majesty_. ". Before Zuko's fireball could hit him he jumped in to the water.

An awkward silence fell as Zuko tried to calm himself down. The crew waited anxiously. Iroh wrapped an arm around Zuko's shoulders, not able to speak but at least able to comfort. Zuko let him for a little while, then pulled himself out of Iroh's grasp and stomped towards the quarters. "Do not disturb me!" he shouted as he disappeared.

Iroh didn't know what to feel. Zuko might have just indirectly killed someone, but... He has to admit he felt proud. Until a worried whisper from Jee disturbed the peace. "Iroh... I'm proud of Zuko, but how does he.... Teenage boys, even if they would never commit such an atrocity themselves... They typically don't really understand what rape truly is. Why does he seem to understand this horror so well?"

Iroh sighed deeply. "Have some tea with me, old friend."


End file.
